Chapter 4, Defying Heaven and Becoming Half a Child

Liu Bei nodded

Indeed, this indicates that Cao Teng is not simple; the legacy he left for the Cao family is quite substantial, sufficient for their use to this day. I have heard that Cao Mengde had dealings with Yuan Shao of the Yuan family. If it were not for this relationship, I feel that Cao Cao would not have been able to match Yuan Shao in terms of connections.

The Han dynasty has persisted to this day, and humanity has long divided the world into ranks of three, six, and nine. Each rank is determined by one's family background, lineage, and bloodline, which are innate qualities. This is the key factor in determining whether a person can become a high official; other aspects are fundamentally unimportant. If one comes from a poor background, even if one is exceptionally talented, it is difficult to rise.

Liu Bei let out a cold smile: "Those families have great enterprises and are entangled in many matters, so they do not dare to risk their lives. However, I am someone who dares to take that risk. I grew up in poverty, and what I have achieved today is the result of risking my life! Xianhe, you have witnessed all of this, and you have also fought alongside me for your life."

Liu Bei chuckled and said: "Although the Yuan family deliberately avoids this matter, the reason they were able to escape the wrath of Emperor Xian of Han back then was that they paid a considerable price, learned many lessons, and became more adaptable.

Jian Yong was somewhat surprised upon hearing this

Otherwise, if the Hongdu Gate Academy has cultivated so many governors, inspectors, and court attendants, why do we not see many who genuinely support the Hongdu Gate Academy? Everyone is striving to be recognized for their talents and filial piety; what is the reason for this? Is it not for the sake of reputation and status? Those who graduate from the Hongdu Gate Academy, regardless of how high their official rank may be, are still looked down upon, whereas those who are recognized for their filial piety and come from the right path are treated differently

What is the matter

Upon hearing Liu Bei's words, Jian Yong was immediately delighted

"Xianhe, have you accepted your fate?"

Xuande, you once told me that your ambition was to live a prosperous life one day. Now that you have achieved your ambition, do you have any other aspirations? Or, as the *Tushu* says, do you intend to go with the flow from here on out? To become an official, high and mighty?

Jian Yong, upon hearing this, looked at the stern-faced Liu Bei with a hint of surprise

Isn't that right? You don't believe it either, do you? Of course, I don't believe it either, but you can't say there's no possibility. After all, I have never seen Cao Mengde with my own eyes; his family is, to me, a prominent household, and I cannot step over the threshold of his home.

Unless there is a rebellion, Cao Mengde truly finds it difficult to even seek death

What Xuande said is reasonable; this is indeed the case in the Han dynasty. Those of humble origins find it difficult to rise, while those from prestigious families, even if they are unlearned, can still attain high official positions

I believe that the Cao family must have some scheme in place, and that incident where Cao Cao struck down Jian Shuo seems more like a definitive sign of the Cao family's third generation completely turning against the eunuchs; they are attempting to cleanse their own lineage.

Alright, I am listening to you, please go ahead and speak

Liu Bei smiled broadly and said, "Although I have not been in Luoyang for long, I have still come to understand one thing"

Jian Yong was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "This is indeed a tremendous scandal, how did you come to know about it?"

Fate

If I were to go with the flow, I would not have said these words to you

Jian Yong pondered for a moment, nodding continuously, and cleverly dropped a piece to neutralize Liu Bei's offensive, then shifted to an offensive stance, threatening Liu Bei's stronghold.

I have nothing else, only one life

Jian Yong sat upright with a serious demeanor, suppressing Liu Bei's counterattack with a single move, while waiting for Liu Bei's grandiloquent discourse

Jian Yong was taken aback

Liu Bei placed a piece and continued his offensive, then slowly began to speak

Liu Bei swiftly dropped a piece

You will know.

Jian Yong also had a child, and after some thought, he felt that Liu Bei's words made sense.

Are you suggesting that Cao Mengde truly possesses a heart of innocence, rather than being manipulated by his family behind the scenes

I never expected that a family of four generations of high-ranking officials would also have to endure such humiliation

If it is indeed as some rumors suggest, then this matter can truly only be handled by the Cao family, and other families may not necessarily be able to replicate it

Under the constraints of the party, there are not many scholars who can live leisurely and freely. How did the Yuan family become the most powerful among them? It is nothing more than having paid some costs that ordinary people could not have imagined. That said, this is not something that just anyone can afford.

After Liu Bei finished speaking, he pondered for a moment and then said: "Moreover, I have always suspected that this matter must have the Cao family behind it; otherwise, why would someone from a eunuch family go against the eunuchs? Isn't this a case of the loved ones suffering while the enemies rejoice?"

Liu Bei, having made another move, said softly: "At that time, when this incident occurred, I once thought that Cao Mengde was the light of the Han Dynasty and would bring new hope to it. However, there were many wealthy young men discussing this matter on Mount Gou, and after listening to some of their conversations, I felt that the situation was quite complex."

What is it

Eunuchs have always been regarded as a corrupting influence by the literati. Not only the literati, but we commoners also hold a strong aversion towards eunuchs. The Cao family is of eunuch descent; how could they possibly take action against eunuchs?

You acknowledged it, but I did not

However, he quickly calmed down, sighed, and made another move.

Even if one is a high-ranking official of the current dynasty, if their background is not favorable, they still require the concerted efforts and careful planning of three generations to barely resolve the issue of their origins. The Han Dynasty has long since moved beyond the era when a commoner could become a prime minister. A person may achieve high office through fortunate encounters, but they will certainly not gain the attention of those from prominent families.

Recalling events from many years ago, Jiang Yong let out a deep sigh and dropped a piece.

How do you always manage to come up with such interesting phrases? The water is deep... Haha, interesting, interesting, hahahahaha

Jian Yong held the black piece in his hand, staring blankly at Liu Bei

Liu Bei curled the corner of his mouth, and with the final piece falling, he ended this game of chess

Even if one is willing to make sacrifices, it does not necessarily mean they can withstand the backlash. The Yuan family is large and prosperous, with former students and officials spread across the country. If the Yuan family were to be disgraced, how many officials of the Han dynasty would suffer as a result? They are all interconnected, so they certainly cannot allow the reputation of the Yuan family to be tarnished

Jian Yong did not look directly into Liu Bei's eyes, he merely nodded silently

Upon hearing Liu Bei's words, Jian Yong counted on his fingers, pondered for a moment, and couldn't help but click his tongue

Liu Bei calmed himself and slowly said: "Xianhe, just watch, a great change is about to occur in this world. In my youth, I only wished to live a prosperous life, to be able to eat roasted meat at every meal. However, so many years have passed, and I have developed even greater ambitions that I wish to achieve"

Then I do not know, how could such matters be known to outsiders? Perhaps this was truly just a chance event, a moment of righteous indignation from Cao Cao, driven by youthful passion, wanting to accomplish something that would shake the world

He hesitated for a long time before slowly placing a piece down

Do not laugh, listen to what I have to say

Liu Bei, holding a white piece in his hand, looked at Jian Yong and said: "Even the Yuan family, which has produced four generations of high-ranking officials, must seek to survive under the pressure of power. Xianhe, do you know that there is also a branch of the Yuan family that has entered the palace to become eunuchs"

Indeed, he was merely transferred from the position of Wei in the northern part of Luoyang to become the magistrate of Dunqiu County, continuing his official career and gaining a wave of reputation for nothing. Even if Jian Shuo hated him to the core, it would be of no use; two fists cannot fight against four hands. With just a minor yellow gate attendant, it is impossible to make the eldest son of the Cao family perish

I have accepted it; what else can I do? As a powerless illegitimate son expelled from my family, no matter how much I resist my fate, what can I do? Fortunately, I met you, Liu Xuande, otherwise I truly would not know how to make a living. If things went poorly, I would have to follow those refugees south, not knowing in which ravine I might fall victim to bandits or fierce tigers, dying without a burial place

Power can change many things

That being said, weren't we also beaten to a pulp in the beginning? How easy is it to fight for one's life?

Is it really that convoluted? Is this not an effort spanning three generations, a collaborative endeavor for the family to break free from the murky waters and step into the clear stream? A single endeavor, three generations, working together, is this... truly possible?

The Han Dynasty was established by a fallen family, and the Emperor Gaozu could even take off the scholar's cap and stomp on it a few times. Who gave them the audacity to look down on others just because they have read a few books? The knowledge and skills learned are not used to benefit the world but instead to oppress the local people

What?

After a short while, Jian Yong looked towards Liu Bei

After listening to Liu Bei's words, Jian Yong fell silent, not even making a move with the chess pieces

This matter is actually simple when described as such, yet it is indeed quite complex when examined in detail

Command?

Your statement is reasonable. The Yuan family of Runan, a top-tier aristocratic clan, has produced three generations of officials from four different branches, and they claim to be the foremost among the noble families of the world. It seems illogical that the Cao family, being descendants of eunuchs, could associate with them.

Liu Bei seized the opportunity and launched a fierce attack

Is this still a matter?

Even if my opponent is the heavens above, I shall still strive to surpass them by a half step

At that time on Mount Goushi, I heard from an acquaintance that during the reign of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han, there was a severe opposition between the eunuchs and the scholars, with mutual accusations. At that time, there were not many eunuchs who could maintain a friendly relationship with the scholars, and Cao Teng was one of them. It is said that he served several emperors and had never framed anyone, which is why even as a eunuch, he had a good reputation among the scholarly community

Jian Yong blinked his eyes and continued to play his pieces in a stoic manner, launching an attack.

Liu Bei smiled and continued to struggle as he placed his pieces

The higher the status, the greater the cost one must pay to achieve one's goals

The Yuan family is one of the prominent surnames in the world, and if they still have to pay such a heavy price, then Xuande, if you do not accept your fate, how much of a price do you intend to pay to go against the heavens

Liu Bei saw hope and placed a piece on the chessboard, turning the tide: "Moreover, in order to maintain their noble status, they are often more willing to compromise rather than fight to the end. This is another lesson I learned in the city of Luoyang"

They speak for themselves and monopolize knowledge, believing that their own knowledge is the only valid knowledge, while others' knowledge is not considered knowledge at all. Their arrogance knows no bounds, and their nonsense is utterly outrageous. Such individuals, one and all, deserve to be punished!

Seeing Jian Yong's ecstatic demeanor, Liu Bei shook his head helplessly

Jian Yong appeared as if he had just witnessed a splendid performance, his face displaying a look of surprise, and he casually made a move to strike down a drowning dog.

Liu Bei gazed at the chessboard for a moment, hesitating, before placing another piece and struggling for a while.

Jian Yong fell silent for a moment, gradually coming to his senses, and then placed another piece on the chessboard

The black piece in hand cannot be placed down for a long time

Many people are aware of it, it can be considered a public secret

It is not easy for a eunuch to reach this level; generally, how many eunuchs can achieve such a status

Liu Bei casually remarked, "Of course, this is of no importance to me. Whether the Cao family wants to clear their name or whether Cao Cao's personal actions are significant, it does not matter. What is important is that they have made me understand one thing."

Therefore, I find this to be unusual

Jian Yong was taken aback, suddenly realizing that the situation on the chessboard had changed significantly